


One Big Happy Family — *Iroh*

by HufflepuffChildOfApollo



Series: One Big Happy Family [9]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, But Not Before Iroh, Gen, I made myself sad with this, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Iroh (Avatar) loves Tea, Toph Beifong and Zuko are Siblings, Toph Gives Him One, Which he shouldn't, Zuko (Avatar) Needs a Hug, Zuko feels responsible for what happened to Yue, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, but he does, mostly at least
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:00:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25375810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HufflepuffChildOfApollo/pseuds/HufflepuffChildOfApollo
Summary: Iroh watches his nephew take the throne, and watches as Zuko's friends help him along.
Relationships: Iroh & The Gaang (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Iroh, Toph Beifong & Zuko
Series: One Big Happy Family [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1799011
Comments: 49
Kudos: 671





	One Big Happy Family — *Iroh*

Iroh awakes in his tent, ready to begin his day with a short meditation, a pot of tea and a game of Pai Sho. He sits up, and begins stretching — and sees Zuko. 

He would be dishonest if he says his heart doesn't stutter. But his nephew looks prepared to speak — Iroh turns, giving him time to say what he needs to. 

"Uncle, I know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me." Even for a child who always wore his heart and hopes on his sleeve, the vulnerability in Zuko's voice catches Iroh off guard — his nephew is clearly close to tears. "But I want you to know..."

Zuko's voice breaks, along with Iroh's heart. 

"I am _so, so,_ sorry, Uncle. I am so sorry and ashamed of what I did. I don't know how I can ever make it up to you. But I'll —"

Iroh has heard enough. Before his nephew can even say another word, Iroh turns, pulling him into a tight hug. Zuko gasps through a sob, and Iroh feels tears leaking from his own eyes. 

"How can you forgive me so easily? I thought you would be furious with me." Zuko's tears are falling fast on Iroh's shoulder, and he's shaking in Iroh's arms, and there's so much shock and confusion in his voice that Iroh holds him tighter. 

"I was never angry with you," he says through his own tears and the lump in his throat. "I was sad because I was afraid you lost your way."

"I did lose my way," Zuko admits. Iroh smiles.

"But you found it again." He pulls back, gazing at his nephew, who he's _so proud_ of right now. "And you did it by yourself. And I am so happy you found your way here."

He hugs Zuko again, and Zuko hugs back the way he hasn't done since he was a child and unscarred, without the weight of a kingdom and his father's expectations on his shoulders. 

"It wasn't that hard, Uncle. You have a pretty strong scent," Zuko says, and Iroh's not sure if it's meant to be a joke or one of his nephew's matter-of-fact observations, but he smiles. 

Meditation and Pai Sho can wait. His nephew, despite the weak smile on his face, is still shaking — jasmine is in short supply in the area, and Iroh has been saving his last pot's worth for a special occasion. He couldn't think of one more special, nor anyone who needs it more, if he tried. 

{-}

His nephew's bond with the small earthbending girl warms Iroh's heart. The girl (whose name, he discovers, is Toph) stays by Zuko's side as they discuss preparations for when the comet hits, her arms wrapped around Zuko's, her free hand flicking pebbles just past Zuko's ear whenever he looks away. Iroh can't help but compare their sibling-like behavior to Sokka and Katara's bond — and he feels a pang of wistful sadness as he thinks of his niece and what could have been. He's sure that if Azula had the ability to control earth, it would be more than pebbles flying past his nephew's face — _if_ they went _past._

Iroh's small smile fades. His brother _cannot — **will not**_ be allowed to damage the lives of any more children. 

{-}

In the wake of Sozin's Comet, Iroh returns to the Fire Nation. He's led by the Avatar to the infirmary, where young Katara stands over his nephew, glowing water encasing her hands as she hovers them over the massive, star-shaped wound at Zuko's solar plexus. His nephew looks up at the sound of footsteps, and throws Katara's hands off, leaping to his feet despite her protests. 

"Uncle!" he shouts, and Iroh's rarely ever been so overjoyed to hear his nephew's deafening volume than in this moment. Iroh catches the boy in his arms, tears threatening to spill for the second time since their reunion, days before. Zuko's shaking, though not like he's crying — like he's unsteady, and hurt. Iroh does his best to gently guide his nephew back to the bed, beside which the young waterbender still stands, with her arms folded and an expression like she's trying not to smile. 

"I'm fine, Uncle," Zuko protests, stubbornly resisting bit Iroh's and Katara's attempts to get him to lie down. Even the efforts of the Avatar, who has clearly refined his lizard-puppy-eyed expression with years of practice, is unsuccessful. 

Then the doors open again, with an echoing _bang!_ as they swing wide into the walls, and Sokka enters, leaning on a crutch, Toph and Suki at his sides. 

Zuko lays down after a single warning look from Sokka. Iroh sends the warrior a grateful smile. 

Toph stomps up to the bedside, and jumps up to sit on the edge of the bed. "Uncle Iroh!" she greets, enthusiastic. Iroh smiles at her, though she can't see it. 

"Hello, Toph," he returns fondly, ignoring Zuko's muttered, _"He's not_ _your uncle."_ The girl's face splits into a grin before she turns to Zuko. 

"You got out of bed, didn't you, Sparky," she says, in a reprimanding tone. 

"Sorry, Toph," Zuko sighs. "It won't happen again."

"Isn't that what you said the last time?" Katara asks, arms still folded and amusement unveiled. 

"And the time before that?" Sokka chips in. 

"And the _three_ times in one hour before that?" Suki adds. 

Zuko scowls, and mutters something Iroh can't hear. 

" _Someone's_ cranky," Sokka says, lowering himself onto the bed beside Zuko's. 

"I'm not cranky!" Zuko snaps. Iroh holds back a chuckle. 

"Perhaps if you would rest, you would be in a better mood," he suggests. His nephew scowls. 

"Traitor."

Iroh smiles, patting his nephew on the shoulder. 

{-}

Within three days of his coronation, Zuko has already proven himself a productive ruler. He drafts documents from his bed, ordering the release of prisoners and the replacement of military leaders loyal to Ozai. He writes formal letters of apology to the rulers of the other nations — a little excessively, Iroh thinks, as Aang reads aloud the one _he_ receives, written on a scroll as long as he is tall. 

At least Zuko is taking the responsibility seriously. 

"Zuko, did you actually _apologize_ for breaking me out of Pohuai Stronghold?" Aang asks, looking up from the scroll. 

"You lost your frogs," Zuko says. Iroh will have to ask both of them for the story later — he's not sure when this happened, but he knows they haven't been near Pohuai Stronghold since last winter. 

"Zuko, I'm not even a _leader —"_ Aang begins to protest. 

"By process of elimination, you are," Mai points out, lifting her head from Zuko's shoulder. 

Over at Sokka's bed, Suki's and Sokka's faces break out in a blush as she reads her own letter and the boy reads over her shoulder. 

"Zuko, _that_ was unnecessary," she grumbles, glaring at his nephew, who looks bemused. 

"What was?"

"You know good and well _what."_ Suki holds up the letter. "That wasn't even an offense toward my village, it was personal, and an _accident!"_

"You're the head authority in the village," Zuko points out. "And accident or not, interfering with an international union effort —"

"Please don't call it that," Sokka whines.

"Just..." Suki sighs. "Alright, apology accepted, now never mention it again," she pleads, shoving the scroll away from her. 

Iroh's not sure he _wants_ to hear this story — and from the embarrassed flush on all three teens' faces, they don't want to tell it, either. 

"Zuko, mine just says 'beets'," Katara says, looking at Zuko with a baffled expression. "Is this just your grocery list?"

Zuko swears, and snatches the scroll from her. "Sorry." He ducks his head, unsuccessful in hiding his red face. 

Iroh sighs. "Nephew, perhaps you ought to take a break," he suggests — a suggestion he's had to repeat multiple times over the past couple days. Zuko opens his mouth to protest, but Toph slaps a hand over his mouth. 

"Sparky. Get some rest," she orders, with all the imperiosity of Azula — but there's a kindness and caring behind it that Azula lacks. Zuko shoots a glare toward Toph, but Iroh is happy to see his nephew push aside his writing tray and settle into the covers, pulling Mai close to his side. 

"I don't _need_ a break," he still informs everyone. "I feel fine." 

"Whatever you say, sweetheart," Mai says, kissing him on the cheek. Zuko's glare does not stop Sokka from making loud kissing noises, and the ensuing laughter from Aang and Toph. 

"Shut up," Zuko snaps. "Especially you, _Sokka."_

Sokka laughs, and Iroh smiles; it's good to see them all behaving like what they are — teenagers and children. He hopes they can remember to do so sometimes, even as adults. Iroh has, and hopes his nephew has picked up on it.

{-}

Iroh finds Zuko awake late in the night, hunched over a blank sheet of paper. His hand grips a brush, the grip tightening and loosening and shifting as he thinks, and the brush dripping ink on the sheets and Zuko's hand. The candle at Zuko's bedside has almost gone out, the flame growing and shrinking with Zuko's deep breaths. 

"Zuko, you should be resting," Iroh admonishes gently as he walks to his nephew's bedside; the only reason _he_ is awake is to retrieve the Pai Sho tile he left by accident earlier. 

"After I finish this letter, Uncle."

Iroh frowns. "Perhaps you should start it tomorrow," he suggests. "It is very late."

"No, Uncle, I _have_ to finish it," his nephew insists, worryingly determined. "There's a messenger headed to the North in two days, so I have to get this letter done by tomorrow, otherwise it will be too late."

Iroh's frown deepened with his sense of foreboding. "The North? But the damage caused there was not by you." 

Zuko's fidgeting with his brush stops, and he sighs heavily. "Not directly. But it was my selfish quest that allowed Zhao to accomplish what he did, and —" Zuko looks down. "And then after what Sokka told me yesterday —"

Iroh hears the sadness in his voice. "What did Sokka tell you?" he asks, though he thinks he already knows.

Zuko looks up. "The Chief's daughter, Princess Yue...gave her life to save the moon spirit. She _died,_ and if I hadn't been trying to kidnap Aang — I could have stopped Zhao. Instead I tried to _save his life."_

Iroh sighs. 

"Zuko, you couldn't have done anything to stop Zhao. It was not a fight to be won with anything but words — and words failed to convince him." He pauses. " _I_ failed to convince him." 

Zuko's looking down again, and what Iroh can see of his face through the curtain of hair that hangs over it looks deep in thought.

"I should have killed him in that Agni Kai," Zuko finally says, barely above a whisper. "That would have stopped it all."

Iroh shakes his head, sitting down in the chair at his nephew's side. "Perhaps it would have stopped Zhao from attacking the Water Tribe —"

"It would've stopped a lot of things, Uncle!" Zuko looks up, slamming his hand down on the bed for emphasis; he doesn't seem to notice the ink that splatters on his side and most of the bed. "Aang would've never got captured at Pohuai Stronghold, I would have still had my ship, and my crew, and we wouldn't have lost an entire naval fleet for his stupid ambition, and the Northern Water Tribe would still have their Princess!" 

The words echo in the empty room. Zuko hangs his head, his breathing heavy. The candle, which had flared up with Zuko's emotions, sputters and finally goes out. Iroh sighs. 

"Nephew, you cannot change what happened in the past..." 

"...So live in the present and look forward to the future," he nods his head slowly. "I know."

Iroh lays a hand on his nephew's shoulder. "Get some rest, and you can write your letter tomorrow. I will take care of the messenger." 

Zuko looks up at him. "Thanks, Uncle." 

Iroh smiles softly. Zuko sets the writing tray on the floor, and nestles down in the covers. He doesn't appear to care about the ink that's all over him and the sheets. 

"Good night, nephew," Iroh says, patting his nephew on the shoulder. 

"Good night, Uncle."

Iroh passes Toph as he heads back to his room, and she greets him with a tired, "Night, Uncle Iroh." He smiles. 

"Goodnight, Toph," he calls, going on his way to his room. 

He's happy his nephew's made so many good friends; he can tell they've helped him a lot to be who he is. And he looks forward to getting to know all of them. 

He only hopes his heart won't give out hearing their crazy stories — his nephew is far too prone to getting in danger. 

_I would be a fool to think that will stop now._

He chuckled, turning over and closing his eyes. 

**Author's Note:**

> That was real fun to write! I hope you liked it :) please comment, your comments always make me smile a lot! And let me know if there's any other perspectives you want to see — I was thinking of doing one from further ahead in the timeline, from Ursa's or Kiyi's (or both) perspectives, and I'd love to know what you think of that. If I do write it, and I probably will, it will contain spoilers for the graphic novels, so be warned!


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